Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson admits that he is surprised that his leading goalscorer Paddy Madden failed to get a nomination at the 2013 Football League Awards. The Irishman's name has been left off today's 'Player of the Year' shortlists that were issued ahead of the Sunday annual awards ceremony.

The shortlist of three names for League One has been compiled from votes submitted by all League One managers, for the preceding year, and they have selected striker Leon Clarke, who played for Scunthorpe United but is now on the books of Coventry City, plus Notts County midfielder Alan Judge and AFC Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie who spent last year playing for Swindon Town.

Speaking to BBC Somerset this afternoon, Johnson said that he had expected Madden, who is currently the division's leading goalscorer with 20 goals in League One, to have been recognised for that. But added that Paddy had a greater accolade to aim for before the season was out:

"Yes I am surprised, because generally a top goalscorer in the league has been up there and would be there. But you'd have to ask all the other managers why they've picked people. But I am a little surprised. He's won enough honours though, and if he wins us the league then that's the honour that he wants."

Why has Madden's name been left out? A possible explanation is that the timing of the Football League Awards means that it is pretty much a "Player Of The Two Thirds Of The Season". With votes gathered from numerous sources, the deadlines for submitting them mean that any player who is particularly prominent during the earlier phases of a season will stand a better chance of being noticed.

Leon Clarke scored 11 times in 15 appearances for Scunthorpe before moving to Coventry in the January transfer window. Matt Ritchie has not scored a single goal since leaving Swindon Town but had bagged nine goals from a wide position by Christmas. Midfielder Judge is harder to errr, judge as a midfielder where other attributes are more important. Conversely 12 of Paddy Madden's goals have been scored since New Year's Day meaning that much of his impact upon the 2012-13 season has come later in the campaign.